Chipmunk Cheeks

Is it Chiari?

Today I went to exercise for the first time in a week. Last week I worked out on the eliptical 3 days in a row. I was so encouraged about having the time to go to the gym with Bob, getting in shape, and losing weight that I may have overdone it. So, I was feeling pretty bad and worn out for a week now and didn't have the energy to go. Not the worst symptoms that I've had, but I've had such constant burning pain in my thighs that it's hard to even walk up stairs or even get up from a sitting position.  Along with the exercise last week I also was getting together with friends, having people over for dinner and decorating for our Church's Women's Sunday. After taking down the decorations on Sunday afternoon, unloading the truck full of supplies, and cleaning up I collapsed and was hardly able do do anything for the past couple of days.

Mostly I just try to ignore my symptoms; I think if I'm busy and focused on something then I just don't pay attention to what's going on with my body so much. For so long I didn't know what was wrong with me and wasn't getting any answers...it seemed as if it was all in my head since no one could find anything wrong, so I just tried to push it all aside. If you think that I look like there is nothing wrong with me then think again; I usually just put on a happy face and move on. (I can do all things through Him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13)

What symptoms do I have? Are they all due to Chiari?

Most of my symptoms are on my left side. It's very strange as if my body has been divided in half. I have nerve numbness and pain pretty much on my entire left side. For many years I had the pain and numbness in my left arm, neck and leg, but thought maybe I had a pinched nerves. When the sensation of being injected with Novocain and swelling invaded my face and head on a daily basis for the last year it became quite clear that something else was going on. Now I had to figure out what that was and what Dr. would listen to me and pursue finding an answer.

When my head starts tingling…I start wondering if it’s just going to be isolated to that numb tingly feeling with a bit of swelling in my face, mouth, and lips or will it turn into crushing pain in the base of my skull, feeling that I am going to blackout at any time, and muscle spasms in my neck and shoulder. I start to pray that it stops at the numbness and tingling, it’s uncomfortable, but at least it’s bearable if that’s all it becomes. The crushing type pain that I get in the base of my skull comes with facial/temporal/eye pain, double vision, dizziness and imbalance along with the feeling that I may pass out at any moment. When it gets to this point I feel like my speech is slurred, it's hard to say words and I can have difficulty finding the words I want to say. Sometimes I have stabbing pains in my ears and pain with swallowing, hoarseness, or the feeling of something being stuck in my throat, but I'm thankful that this isn't constant. That's the thing with Chiari, you don't know what your going to get from day to day, moment to moment. The symptoms come and go and change and you don't always know what triggers a flare up.

I may never know what symptoms are related to my Chiari as surgery is not a guarantee that all of this will be relieved. I do of course hope that they will all disappear and I can say that they were all due to the Chiari. Only time will tell; it took many years for these symptoms to build up and get to this point and it may take much time to heal. Bob is encouraging me not to be disappointed if I am not all better right away for that very reason. I think I will put 1 Peter 5:7 into practice and I'll...Cast all my anxiety on Him because He cares for me.

Chipmunk Cheeks

This is my Chipmunk Cheek

I'm always talking to Bob about my "Chipmunk Cheeks" and laughing about it. This is what I feel like I look like until I look in the mirror and see that it's really not that bad. I can see the swelling and when it's really bad, Bob can also see it, but most people don't recognize that my face is swollen at all. Chipmunks are pretty cute though aren't they?